Exercise machine

ABSTRACT

Exercise machine with a first mechanism that can interact with the person doing the exercise, the first mechanism being suitable to be pushed or pulled by the person doing the exercise, and these actions being balanced by resistance. A second mechanism using the weight of the person doing the exercise is provided as the force of resistance.

This invention concerns an exercise machine specifically designed to be used at home and suitable for doing various kind of exercises. This machine is essentially a bench that balances in a way that allows the person, using his/her weight against the bench, to provide the force of resistance necessary to do the exercises.

For many years now there have been special exercise machines for numerous exercises, but only relatively recently has the market begun to offer a vast quantity of machines primarily for home fitness purposes. This phenomenon is due to a number of factors, such as mythologizing the image and the ease of widely disseminating advertising, including through television sales.

Obviously, this situation translates into stiff competition among manufacturers that tends to offer increasingly complete equipment at ever lower prices. In addition, as these articles are intended for home use, and in fact are often purchased as kits and assembled by the buyer himself, it is necessary to avoid as much as possible offering products that are complex or difficult to assemble and operate. There is thus a need to find new solutions that make it possible to maintain an adequate standard of quality while reducing production costs, and to eliminate as much as possible complex mechanisms that are difficult to assemble and operate.

In the situation described, a critical element is certainly the device, generally present on exercise machines, which is designed to create the force of resistance necessary to do the exercises. Normally these are systems based on counterweights and pulleys, or counterweights and levers; others use systems based on flexible, deformable elements. In the case of counterweights and pulleys in particular, assembly becomes relatively complex, considering that it must sometimes be performed by a person with no expertise whatsoever.

In addition, equipment of this kind must be made for general use as much as possible, in the sense that it must be possible to perform numerous exercises, because except in special cases, it is not feasible to use bulky equipment that is so specialized that only a minimum number of exercises can be performed.

One purpose of this invention is to resolve the problem of complex mechanisms that generate the force of resistance, while at the same time reducing cost.

Another purpose of the invention is to permit a significant variety of exercises by simply changing the body's position on the machine.

This invention achieves these goals by using a bench type of machine that conforms to claim 1, as this machine is ideal for generating the force of resistance to perform physical exercises, with an original system of levers that uses the weight of the person doing the exercises.

To increase the versatility of the machine, this bench also has a system for regulating the inclination.

The advantages of a machine that uses this kind of invention consist essentially of the fact that construction is quite simple, with easier assembly and operation as well as greater reliability and lower cost.

This is also an extremely versatile machine despite its simple construction, with a variety of physical exercises possible.

The invention will now be described by way of indicative example showing a preferred embodiment. Reference is made to the attached figures, in which:

FIGS. 1(a, b, c) show the bench with the invention in three perspective views;

FIGS. 2(a, b) show how the bench is raised by activating the handle;

FIGS. 3(a, b) show how the bench is locked into an inclined position;

FIGS. 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8(a, b) show possible exercises using one's own weight to create the force of resistance;

FIGS. 9(a, b) show one of the exercises possible with the bench in an inclined position;

FIGS. 10(a, b) show one of the exercises possible with the bench in a horizontal position.

FIG. 1 shows three perspective views of the exercise machine with the invention. This machine includes a bench (1) with articulated assembly following an axis (2) on a base frame (3). The bench, on whose sides a pair of handles is mounted (4), is raised by a bell crank (5) activated by a handlebar (6) or footrests (7), with the crank (5) with articulated assembly on the base frame (2) following an axis or fulcrum (8). The action of the lever (5) on the bench (1) (FIG. 2) is aided by a roller (9), pivoted to the lower end of the lever (5), which slides along the lower side of the bench (1).

The bench (1) can also be locked into various inclinations, as shown in FIGS. 3(a, b), using a strut (10), hinged along an axis (11) to the base frame (3), which acts on one of the teeth (12) solidly connected to the bench (1), as can clearly be seen in FIG. 3 b. By exerting force F, or force F₁ directly on the lever (5) using the handlebar (6) (FIG. 2 a), the lever (5) will be subject to a F×b or F₁×b₁ moment respectively and thus will rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 2 b, raising the bench (1), by means of the roller (9), which allows the end of said lever to slide (5) along the bottom of the bench (1). This means that the person on the bench, as shown in FIGS. 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8, prevents the bench from being lifted (1), thus creating the resistance that helps develops muscles.

In FIG. 4 a, the person doing the exercise sits on the bench (1), grasps the handlebar (6) and places his feet on the footrest (7). In FIG. 4 b, we see that the lever (5) is pushed, both by the hands using the handlebar (6), and by the legs, acting directly on the footrest (7). In this way, the lever (5) rotates around a fulcrum (8) and causes the bench to lift (1), using the resistance of the weight of the person seated on the bench (1). Through the exercise described in FIG. 4, the pectoral muscles, triceps and trapezius muscles are developed; in the lower part of the body, the abdominals and quadriceps are exercised.

In FIG. 5 a, the person again sits on the bench (1) and places the feet on the footrest (7), but grasps the handles (4) on the side of the bench (1). Locked onto the bench (1) by pulling on the handles with the arms (4), the person pushes the legs against the footrest (7) (FIG. 5 b) and again causes the lever (5) to rotate around the fulcrum (8), consequently raising the bench (1). In this case as well, resistance comes from the weight of the person doing the exercise. Through the exercise described in FIG. 5, the back muscles, biceps, trapezius and pectoral muscles are worked; in the lower part of the body, the abdominals, quadriceps and biceps femoris are exercised.

In FIG. 6 a, the person doing the exercise lies down on the bench (1) and grasps the handlebar (6). In FIG. 6 b, the person uses the hands to push up the handlebar (6) and, as a consequence, rotates the lever (5) around the fulcrum (8) and then again raises the bench (1). In this case as well, the resistance comes from the weight of the person doing the exercise. The exercise described in FIG. 6 works the shoulder muscles, in particular the trapezius and deltoids, and the triceps; it secondarily works the abdominals.

In FIG. 7 a, the person doing the exercise lies on the bench (1), grasps the handles (4), locking him/herself on the bench (1), and points the feet against the handlebar (6). In FIG. 7 b the person pushes the handlebar (6) with the feet, thus rotating the lever (5) around the fulcrum (8) and raising the bench (1) again. In this case as well, resistance is created using the weight of the person doing the exercise. The exercise described in FIG. 7 works the gluteus muscles and biceps femoris; it also secondarily involves the abdominal muscles, the calf muscles, quadriceps, back muscles and biceps.

FIGS. 8(a, b) show an exercise similar to the previous one, except that the person is seated on the bench (1). The muscles involved are the same, but the person exerts more force, thus developing the same muscles even more.

FIGS. 4 to 8 show several examples of how to use the exercise machine according to the invention, where resistance is created by the person's own weight. But this machine can also be used as a simple bench, using the handles, (4), handlebar (6) and footrests (7) as holds. FIGS. 9 and 10 show two indicative examples of other ways of using this new type of exercise machine.

In FIG. 9 a the person doing the exercise lies on the bench (1) and grasps the handlebar (6), the bench (1) being in an inclined position by means of the strut (10) that acts on a special tooth (12). In FIG. 9 b the person lifts his/her legs, working the abdominal muscles in particular. In FIGS. 10(a, b) the person does the same exercise shown in FIGS. 9(a, b), but with the bench (1) in a horizontal position.

As the description makes quite clear, with this invention the exercise machine can perform a significant number of exercises, even though it is quite a simple design. In addition, because of its very simplicity, its production costs are much lower, and it can easily be assembled and maintained.

The invention has been described in indicative terms only, using a preferred form of use. A technical expert in the sector would have no difficulty in finding many other forms of use, all of which would be protected by the following claims. 

1. Exercise machine with first means that can interact with the person doing the exercise, said first means being suitable to be pushed or pulled by said person doing the exercise, and these actions being balanced by means of resistance, characterized in that second means using the weight of the person doing the exercise as the force of resistance are provided.
 2. Exercise machine according to claim 1, characterized in that said second means suitable to use the weight of the person doing the exercise as the force of resistance comprise a bench (1), which is balanced on a base frame (3), and a lever (5), suitable to lifts the bench (1) when activated by said first means (6, 7), by the person doing the exercise.
 3. Exercise machine according to claim 1, characterized in that said first means suitable to interact with the person who does the exercise comprise a handlebar (6), solidly connected to said lever (5), pivoted on a point (8) of said base framework (3), said lever interacting with said second means suitable to use the weight of the person doing the exercise as the force of resistance.
 4. Exercise machine according to claim 1, characterized in that said first means suitable to interact with the person who does the exercise, comprise footrests (7), solidly connected to said lever (5), pivoted on said point (8) of said basic framework (3), said lever (5) interacting with said second means suitable to use the weight of the person doing the exercise as the force of resistance.
 5. Exercise machine according to claim 2, characterized in that a roller (9) is provided, positioned on said lever (5), suitable to facilitate the sliding of said lever (5) along the lower part of the bench (1) when said lever (5), activated by said first means (6) and/or (7) by the person doing the exercise, exerts a lifting action on the bench (1).
 6. Exercise machine according to claim 1, characterized in that a pair of handles (4) are provided, solidly connected to said bench (1), that can be grasped by the person doing the exercise to lock his body to the bench (1).
 7. Exercise machine according to claim 1, characterized in that a strut (10) is provided, pivoted on an axis (11) to the base framework (3), said strut being suitable to lock the bench (1) into at least one inclined position, acting on a special tooth (12) solidly connected to the bench (1).
 8. Exercise machine characterized in that it comprises a bench (1), pivoted on an axis (2) to the basic framework (3), and a lever (5), equipped with first means (6, 7) capable of interacting with the person who does the exercise (6, 7), with said first means capable of being pulled or pushed by said person while doing the exercises, said actions being balanced by means of resistance, second means being provided suitable to use the weight of the person doing the exercise as the force of resistance.
 9. Exercise machine according to claim 8, characterized in that said second means suitable to use the weight of the person doing the exercise as a force of resistance, comprise said bench (1), balanced on the base frame (3), and said lever (5), suitable to lift the bench (1), when activated said first means (6, 7), by the person doing the exercises.
 10. Exercise machine according to claim 9, characterized in that a strut (10) is provided, pivoted on an axis (11) on said base frame (3), said strut being suitable to lock said bench (1) into at least one inclined position, using a special tooth (12) solidly connected to said bench (1). 